Bay window assembly with adjustable spacing and support lock bracket combination

ABSTRACT

A spacing and support bracket combination selectably lockable at a plurality of angles, comprising: a first bracket of substantially L-shaped cross section, said first bracket having a major flange and a minor flange, said major flange including means for attachment to a constructional surface, and said minor flange including means for attachment to a bracket surface at any of a plurality of relative angles; and a second bracket of substantially L-shaped cross section, said second bracket being substantially identical to said first bracket, wherein the minor flange of said second bracket is securable to the minor flange of said first bracket at any of a plurality of relative angles, said relative angles being defined by the particular angle between the planes of said major flanges of said first and second brackets, whereby any two constructional surfaces may be joined at any of said plurality of angles by the securing of said minor flanges to each other at the desired relative angle and by securing said two major flanges to adjacent constructional surfaces.

United States Patent 1 Reuten 1 1 BAY WINDOW ASSEMBLY WITH ADJUSTABLESPACING AND SUPPORT LOCK BRACKET COMBINATION [751 V Inventor: FredReuten, Closter, NJ.

[73] Assignee: Fred Reuten Inc., Closter, NJ. 22; Filed: May 25, 1972211 Appl. No.: 256,986

52 us. CI 52/201, 52/235, 52/582,

52/713 [51] Int. Cl E06b 1/38 [58] Field of Search 52/201, 285, 713,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,417,872 12/1968 Close248/242 3,018,526 1/1962 Riebel 287/2092 D 2,632,533 3/1953 MacKenzie.52/633 3,355,848 12/1967 Ulery 52/285 3,596,941 8/1971 Tracy... 52/7133,423,898 1/1969 Tracy et al.. 52/713 2,732,593 1/1956 Jutson 52/2012,810,941 10/1957 Mainieri... 52/201 3,561,176 2/1971 Sitterly 52/201FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS V 176,921 10/1961 Sweden 248/242 605,09110/1934 Germany 287/2092 D 650,630 9/1937 Germany 287/14 Oct. 30, 1973Primary Examiner-Frank L. Abbott Assistanz ExaminerLeslie A. BraunAttorney Mel K. Silverman [57] ABSTRACT 1 A spacing and support bracketcombination selcctably lockable at a plurality of angles, comprising: afirst bracket of substantially L-shaped cross section, said firstbracket having a major flange and a minor flange, said major flangeincluding means for attachment to a constructional surface, and saidminor flange including means for attachment to a bracket surface at anyof a plurality of relative angles; and a second bracket of substantiallyL-shaped cross section, said second bracket: being substantiallyidentical to said first bracket, wherein the minor flange of said secondbracket is securable to the minor flange of said first bracket at anyofa plurality of relative angles, said relative angles being defined bythe particular angle between the planes of said major flanges of saidfirst and second brackets, whereby any two constructional surfaces maybe joined at .any of said plurality of angles by the securing of saidminor flanges to each other at the desired relative angle and bysecuring said two major flanges to adjacent constructional surfaces.

5 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PAIENTEnocr 30 ms sum 1 0r 2 "FIG/ 1 BAYWINDOW ASSEMBLY WITH ADJUSTABLE SP-ACING AND SUPPORT LOCK BRACKECOMBINATION The invention described herein may be manufactured, used andlicensed by Fred Reuten, Inc., a corporation of the State of New Jersey,for all corporate purposes without the payment to me of any royaltythereon.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to certainconstructional elements used in the building trades, and morespecifically to those constructional elements utilized in thefabrication of bay window structures.

A long standing and persistent need in the field of bay windowconstruction has been that of obtaining a proper angular displacementbetween the individual units of a window system. The traditionalapproach to this problem has been the placing of wooden wedges betweenadjacent jambs of the window units. The major shortcomings of thisapproach are (l)-the time involved in cutting the wedges to size, (2)the cost, which can fluctuate greatly, of the wood for the wedges, (3)the difficulty in obtaining a high degree of accuracy in the angulardimensions of the wedges, and (4) the relatively limited strength ofwedges, particularly along certain grain lines.

One proposed solution to the above-stated problem 7 appears in the US.Pat. to C.I(.-Sitterly, No. 3,561,176

(1971) entitled Bay Window Structure. Saidpatent utilizes an angledassembly jig on which the window units are placed side-by-side withadjacent edges on the inner side of the assembly jig. The inner adjacentedges are then joined by a bendable connecting strip of either metal orplastic. The outer adjacent edges are covered and connected by a thickwooden strip that imparts to the units an appearance of a continuous baywindow structure.

While certain economies of time and money are evidently achieved throughthe Sitterly approach, these economies are achieved at the cost'of aweaker over-all window structure. This is because the adjacent jambs arenot joined at their lateral surfaces, but rather along their edges,

Such a joinder "of surfaces has traditionally been achieved through theuse of a wedge. Accordingly, the

present invention can be viewed asan effort to achieve suitablesubstitute for the wooden wedge.

Among those constructional elements in the prior art that might'beutilized as wedge substitutes, the US. Pat. to J. A. MacKenzie, No.2,632,533 (1953), entifled-constructional Element," possesses thegreatest relevancy. MacKenzie discloses a two-element combination ofL-shaped brackets that can readily be joined to form a right-angle wedgesubstitute. However, in attempting to simulate non-right angle wedges,MacKenzie is forced to utilize an additional third element, namely agusset plate. This three-element arrangement is both cumbersome toassemble. and obviously more expensive than a two-element combinationwould be.

Consequently, a significant need that the instant invention fulfills isthe development of a two-element combination capable of simulating thefunction of a plurality of wedges, each having a different apex angle.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is toprovide a wherein the apex angle of the wedge may be'selectably chosen.

Yet another object is to provide a means for providing awedge substitutethat can be economically utilized in the construction of a bay windowsystem.

A still further object is to provide a novel and economical method ofassembling bay window structures.

The constructional element of the present invention comprises thecombination of a first bracket of substantially L-shaped cross section,said first bracket having a major flange'and a minor flange, said majorflange including means for attachment to a bracket surface, and saidminor flange including means for'attachment to a bracket surface at anyof a plurality of relative angles; and a second bracket of substantiallyL-shaped cross section, said second bracket being substantiallyidentical to said first bracket, wherein the minor flange of said secondbracket is securable to the minor flange of said first bracket at any ofa plurality of relative angles, said relative angles being defined bythe particular angle between the planes of said major flanges of saidfirst and second brackets, whereby any two constructional surfaces maybe joined at any of said plurality of angles by the securing of saidminor fla'nges to each other at the desired relative angle and bysecuring said two major flanges to adjacent constructional surfaces.

The method of bay window construction of the present invention comprisesthe stieps of arranging successive pairs of a plurality of window frameunits with sideby-side adjacent jambs facing each other; the securing ofa plurality of two double flanged brackets of substantially L-shapedcross section to each other along their respective minor flanges suchthat the major flanges of said brackets are oppositely directed andfurther such that the planes of said major flanges intersect to form aparticular relative angle; securing said major flanges to saidrespectively opposite side-by-side adjacent jambs of said window frameunits, thereby forming a bay window structure wherein each adjacentwindow frame unit is angularly displaced from its adjacent unit by theparticular relative angle at which the planes of said major flanges havebeen secured.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a front perspective view ofa three-unit bay window.

FIG. 2 is a horizontal cross-sectional view of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view taken substantiallyalong line 33 of FIG. 1, illustrating a 30 degree constructional elementsecured to adjacent window jambs.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a first bracket.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a complementary second bracket.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the present constructional elementssecured at a 45 degree angle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention utilizes twosubstantially identical brackets 10 and 12 (see FIGS. 3 and 4). Each ofthese brackets are substantially L-shaped in cross section and consistsof a major flange and a minor flange.

The major flange of bracket 10 is denoted as element 14; the minorflange as element 16. Similarly, the major flange of bracket 12 isdenoted as element 18; the minor flange as element 20.

The major flange of each bracket includes a means for attachment to aconstructional surface. The particular means illustrated in FIGS. 4 and5 is a plurality of 5 holes 22 through which screws or nails can easilybe driven. Alternate means of attachment, for example, by gluing, wouldbe equally suitable.

Each of the minor flanges 16 and 20 exhibits a means for mutualattachment at any of a plurality of mutual angles, wherein a mutualangle 24 is defined by the angle of intersection of the planes of themajor flanges I4 and 18 (see FIG. 6). The means illustrated in FIGS,

4 and 5 comprises a plurality of lines of colinear holes; each of saidlines lies at a predetermined angle 26 with respect to the line ofintersection of the major and minor flanges (see FIG. 4). Thispredetermined angle 26 is always one-half of the desired mutual angle24. This technique enables bracket combinations of any number of anglesto be readily formed simply by providing lines of holes at the properpredetermined angles. The brackets then can be easily joined as byrivets 28 (see FIG. 6).

It is to be noted that other means for obtaining a plurality of mutualangles would be equally suitable. One such means would comprise the useof a series of concentric curved slots emanating from the point 29 whichis the intersection of the planes of the major flanges l4 and 18.

Whether using holes or slots, a substantially triangular shape is bestsuited in designing the minor flange.

After the brackets have been mutually secured, they are ready to beplaced between adjacent units 31 of a bay window structure (see FIGS. 1and 2). The mutual angle 24 at which the brackets have been joined will,as aforestated, determine the angle between the planes of the units 31.In order to join the units, the major flanges 14 and 18 are joined tothe window jambs 32 and 34 as by screws 36 (see FIGS. 2 and 3).

The enlarged cross-sectional view of FIG. 3 illustrates the manner inwhich the presentinvention serves as a wedge substitute: both thecross-sectional configuration and the vertical and horizontal lines offorce are fully simulated. Consequently, it is seen that an effectivewedge substitute can be obtained without the investment of time, laborand money that wedges have heretofore required. Also, the simplicity ofthe present invention should be noted: In terms of manufacturing, theforming of the brackets is a matter of stamping and bending standardsheet steel stock. In terms of assembly, a laborer need only squeeze tworivets into a selected set oflines of holes in the minor flanges, andthe wedge substitute, at the desired apex angle, is ready forinstallation.

It is thus seen that the objects set forth in the Summary of theInvention are among those made apparent from, and efficiently attainedby, the constructional element of the preceding description.

I wish it to be understood that I do not desire to be limited to theexact detail of construction for obvious modification will occur topersons skilled in the art.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, useful andnon-obvious, and with this instrument secure by Letters Patent of theUnited States is:

1. A bay window structure including a spacing and support bracketcombination selectably lockable at a plurality of angles, comprising:

a. a first bracket of substantially L-shaped cross section, said firstbracket having a major flange and a minor flange, said major flangeincluding means for attachment to a constructional surface, and saidminor flange including a plurality of lines of colinear holes, each ofsaid lines lying at a different angle with respect to the line ofintersection of said major and minor flanges;

b. a second bracket of substantially L-shaped cross section, said secondbracket being substantially identical to said first bracket, wherein theminor flange of said second bracket is securable to the minor flange ofsaid first bracket at any of a plurality of relative angles, a relativeangle being defined by the angle between the planes of said majorflanges of said first and second brackets, and in which said first andsecond brackets are joined by the securing together of their said minorflanges along angularly corresponding pairs of said lines of colinearholes, whereby any two constructional surfaces may be joined at any ofsaid plurality of angles by the securing of said minor flanges to eachother at the desired relative angle and by securing said two majorflanges to adjacent constructional surfaces; and

c. a plurality of window frame units arranged with side-by-side adjacentjambs facing each other, wherein said edges are mutually secured andangularly arranged through the use of a plurality of said bracketcombinations, thereby forming a window structure.

2. The combination as recited in claim 1 in which said combinationfurther includes a plurality of window units having flat outerconstructional surfaces, wherein said units are mutually secured atdesired relative angles along said outer surfaces through the use of aplurality of said bracket combinations, thereby forming a windowstructure.

3. The combination as recited in claim 2 in which the plane of saidminor flanges is perpendicular to the planes of each of two adjacentconstructional surfaces.

said brackets are formed of steel.

1. A bay window structure including a spacing and support bracketcombination selectably lockable at a plurality of angles, comprising: a.a first bracket of substantially L-shaped cross section, said firstBracket having a major flange and a minor flange, said major flangeincluding means for attachment to a constructional surface, and saidminor flange including a plurality of lines of colinear holes, each ofsaid lines lying at a different angle with respect to the line ofintersection of said major and minor flanges; b. a second bracket ofsubstantially L-shaped cross section, said second bracket beingsubstantially identical to said first bracket, wherein the minor flangeof said second bracket is securable to the minor flange of said firstbracket at any of a plurality of relative angles, a relative angle beingdefined by the angle between the planes of said major flanges of saidfirst and second brackets, and in which said first and second bracketsare joined by the securing together of their said minor flanges alongangularly corresponding pairs of said lines of colinear holes, wherebyany two constructional surfaces may be joined at any of said pluralityof angles by the securing of said minor flanges to each other at thedesired relative angle and by securing said two major flanges toadjacent constructional surfaces; and c. a plurality of window frameunits arranged with side-by-side adjacent jambs facing each other,wherein said edges are mutually secured and angularly arranged throughthe use of a plurality of said bracket combinations, thereby forming awindow structure.
 2. The combination as recited in claim 1 in which saidcombination further includes a plurality of window units having flatouter constructional surfaces, wherein said units are mutually securedat desired relative angles along said outer surfaces through the use ofa plurality of said bracket combinations, thereby forming a windowstructure.
 3. The combination as recited in claim 2 in which the planeof said minor flanges is perpendicular to the planes of each of twoadjacent constructional surfaces.
 4. The combination as recited in claim3 in which said minor flanges are mutually secured to each other byrivets.
 5. The combination as recited in claim 4 in which said bracketsare formed of steel.